1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to illuminable displays in automotive vehicles. More specifically, the invention relates to an illuminable display that is edge lit from the center of the display and utilized in an instrument panel of an automotive vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Every automotive vehicle includes an instrument panel into which are inset various instruments that either provide information to the occupants of the vehicle or allow the occupants to control the interior environment of vehicle. Instruments of the type that relay information to the occupants include, without limitation, the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gage, engine temperature gage, battery charge gage, drive selection indicator, as well as various service or warning indicators. Examples of environmental controls include the audio and/or navigational system, and the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
Traditionally, instruments have been flat displays located within a fixed housing that is inset into the instrument panel. The methods used to light these instruments have kept the display located on a back plane of the instrument. Typically, the lighting of these displays has involved the location of a light source behind the back plane and a translucent portion of the display that allows the light pass therethrough, rendering the markings of the display visible to an occupant of the vehicle. Other lighting methods reflect light or direct light onto the surface of the display that is viewable by the occupant of the vehicle.
Lighting these instruments in an even manner has been a challenge to designers, requiring light compensation passes to be printed on the backside of a graphics appliqué or the engineering of a reflective dish or light pipe. Additionally, these limitations have limited the ability of designers to produce instruments and instrument clusters that are differentiable in the marketplace.
In view of the above it is apparent that there exists a need for a display design that removes the limitations associated with lighting of the display and that frees designers to differentiate instruments and instrument clusters in the marketplace.